Adjustable chair



M. F. BELL. Adjustable Chair.

No. 226,475. Patented April I3, 1880.

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m PETERS. PHOTO-LITNQGRAFNER, WASHINGTON. D c.

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

M. FRED. BELL, OF FULTON, MISSOURI.

ADJUSTABLE CHAI R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 226,475, dated April 13, 1880.

Application filed October 23, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, M. FRED. BELL, of Ful-. ton, in the county of Oallaway and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and use' ful Improvements in Adjustable Chairs 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectlon. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation, and Fig. 4 is a plan of the under side of the adjustable seat.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention has relation to adjustable chairs; and it consists in the improvements hereinafter more fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, in which I have shown this invention as applied to a rocker, A designates the legs, and B the arms or side pieces, of the chairframe. The back consists of two side pieces, (1 O, which are pivoted at 0 c in the rear ends of arms B B, and united at the top To the lower ends of the back-pieces O U are pivoted two arms, D D, which extend forward, resting upon a rod, E E, and are at their forward ends pivoted upon opposite sides of the seat-piece F. About midway upon the under side of the solid seatpiece F is hinged a rearwardly-projectin g arm, G, which is inserted through the two arms h h of a hollow cross-shaped casting, H. The other arms, h h, of this casting are screwthreaded, the rod-section E being inserted permanently into one of them, while the opposite section, E, is inserted into the other. The screw-threaded end of the part E projects sufficiently far into the cross H to bear against the hinged arm G, and is operated by a knob or thumb-screw, g. It follows that by turning this knob to one side the rod E will I bind arm G in the cross H, while by turning it in the opposite direction arm G is released and may be adjusted within said cross H.

The back and bottom proper, denoted by the letter I, is flexible and in .one piece, so that it will readily adjust itself to the figure and position of .the person occupying the chair. It consists of a series of slats, i t t, the ends of which are interwoven with thin flexible metal strips 7c is. These strips may be formed by splitting a band, Z, of thin sheet metal into three narrow strips, and by then fastening the solid part I of the band upon the back part of the cross-piece G and interweaving each end of the slats 45 between the split strips 70 7c 70, in the manner clearly shown in the drawings, a

very strong, durable, and flexible seat is formed,

the opposite or lower ends of the strips 70 being secured upon the under side of the solid seat-piece F.

It is obvious, however, that, if desired, a flexible seat of a 'difierent construction may be used, and also thata flexible seat and back constructed as herein described may be used with a chair-frame of a different construction; but I prefer to combine the two in the manner described, as by this means I produce a very strong, durable, and convenient chair at a small expense.

It will be observed that the adjustment of the seat-frame D D F and back-frame GO 0 is independent of the side pieces, B B, and feet A A, the adjustment being effected by means of the pivoted arm G, cross H, and adjustable rod E. Hence, whatever may be the position of the seat and back, the relative position to these of the legs and arms remains unchanged, so that there is not, as in most adjustable chairs, any danger of the chair accidentally breaking down, nor can the adjustment, after being once effected, be changed except by operating the screw-rod E.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. The combination, with the permanent sides B B and adjusting device consisting of the cross H and rods E E, of the pivoted backframeG O O and pivoted seat-frame D D F, provided with the hinged arm G, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

2. The adjustable chair herein shown and stantially in the manner and for the purpose :0 described, consisting of the pivoted back-frame herein shown and described. 0 0 O and pivoted seat-frame D D F, flexible In testimony that I claim the foregoing as fabric I, suspended between said pivoted back my own I have hereto affixed my signature in and seat frames, adjusting device composed presence of two Witnesses.

of the rods E E and cross H, in combination M. FRED. BELL. with the hinged arm G and permanent side Witnesses: pieces 13 B, having the feet or supports A A, J. ERNST DREPS,

all constructed and combined to operate sub- WM. Gr. CARSON. 

